I Can't Speak
by littlemikey
Summary: Mikey can't speak after a normal training with Raphie. But an adventure starts when the Daymio announces something for the Battle Nexus Champion.
1. Chapter 1

_**Here another my story a chapters without (sadly!) a beta-reader... I hope you guys like it!**_

**Chapter 1: Without Voice**

"C'mon bro! You can't be already tired!" Mikey laughed, training himself in the dojo with Raphie.

The red turtle was covered of sweat and his anger was growing so much and dangerously. Raphael would have gave whatever thing for having a bit of calm and controlling his mind. But Mikey known this weak point and continued to talk without stop himself.

"S... shout... up!" Raphael panted, tired.

"What is going you? Can't you try to keep calm?" Mikey said, smiling.

Raphael gripped the eyelids and given another death-look at his little bro. Mikey known he had won and happly returned to read his loved comics about Silver Sentry.

Raph hated losing: gripping the fists, he stood up and smiled obscurely. The red turtle waited for a bit of energy returning back in his body and jumped quickly on his little bro, falling down they both.

"No, Raphie! Please!" Mikey yelled, trying to escape from that invincible vise: "You won! You win! Uncle!".

Mikey yelled again, so strong for his poor vocal chords. In fact, something was wrong happened just in this moment. Like a "crack": Mikey felt a hard pain in his throat. The sweat formed on his forehead and his voice exited different and strange.

A burning pain run in his throat, while the tears grown in Mikey's blue eyes.

Raph sneered and knocked Mikey's chest with a little fist.

"You lose, I win! Ah-ah!".

In that moment, Leonardo, Donatello and Splinter came in the dojo, a bit worried for Mikey's double screams.

"What is going on here?" Leonardo asked, worried.

"Nothin'. Mikey and I were training!" Raph sneered in that reply.

Mikey sighed, trying to not moan at the continues pain in the throat. When Raph's foot taken away from Mikey's shell, the orange turtle stood up.

"The training is ended, my sons" the sensei said, after a long silence.

Raphael rolled the eyes at the ceiling and puffed. He loved to win, above all on Mikey. Why Splinter sensei broke the fun so soon?

Mikey couldn't stop to caress his throat; for this he captured the attention on his family.

"Some problem, little bro?" the purple turtle asked, looking the brother.

"I'm fine" Mikey answered with a low voice, in hoarse tone.

Suddenly, a strong cough resounded in all the lair, irritating Mikey's throat further.

Raphael tried to do the indifferent but his brother love for Mikey won. The little brother was suffering and the cough wasn't passing.

"What is going on to Mikey?" Leonardo asked, noticing pallor on Mikey's skin.

Donnie studied his little brother in his arms: "I don't know exactly... Mikey, can you explain us what are you feel?".

Mikey opened his mouth, tiredly. He tried to reply at that question, but his mind was worked so fast. Warm hands touched his body: the orange understood he has been in silent for too time.

He opened again the mouth: he wanted to reply. Scared eyes looked him, mouths moved quickly. Mikey had fear and tried more and more twice to speak.

_**What the hell is going on? Why you guys are so crazy? Are you listen me? GUYS?!**_

Mikey opened wide the blue scared eyes: he couldn't speak! He lost his voice!

_**No, this's can't be possible! Help me!**_

Mikey yelled in his mind: nothing listened him. He had lost his beautiful voice! No!

"Why can't ya reply?" Raph murmured.

"Because he can't do it. I wanna control if my idea is correct" Doctor Donnie answered, putting the hands on Mikey's shoulders.

Hamato family approached Donnie's laboratory.

"Michelangelo, sit here and wait for a second" the genius ordered, indicating a black stool.

The purple genius went from some shelfs for taking some utensils for helping Mikey.

When the genius returned, he worn a pair of glasses and asked to Mikey to opened good the mouth.

Donatello controlled everything thanks a torch and when he noticed something wrong, he sighed.

"Uhm... well, the throat is completely red and this is strange because until a moment ago you was fine, Mikey".

Raph lowered the look, feeling in fault. He had been the guilty of Mikey's problem.

"It burns so much, right?" Donnie asked again, touching Mikey's throat: "Bro, that I'm saying you won't be nice".

Mikey looked him with scared eyes.

"I think you'll remain without voice for two weeks. Your vocal chords are so many irritate that also eating will be complicate".

Useless saying that Mikey's curious expression trasformed in a very depression. His eyes showed tears but the orange didn't cry. The young nodded and lowered the head, defeated.

Raph felt still more nervous: he but the low lip, trying to not escape in topside for knocking some unlucky Purple Dragons. Wanting say something, Raph preferred to remain in silent while looked Mikey leaving the laboratory.

Remained alone, the rest of Hamato family focused on the worried Donnie's expression.

"There's something you should know..." the red admitted with a nervous sigh: "Have you listened that yell before?".

Leonardo replied for Don and Splinter too: "Yes, so what?".

"Well... I've tortured Mikey a bit and he has screamed more of had..." the red continued, fixing the brown sensei's eyes.

"Uhm... yes. Screaming in that way has caused an lesion of the vocal chords. I'm not sure that a cure based of silent and medicine could function... but... we'll see it" Donnie concluded.

"Is Mikey's damage so serious?" Leonardo asked worried, angry and sad.

Donnie nodded and sighed, writing some parameters in his notebook: "Yes, unfortunately. However I would want we shouldn't say nothing to Mikey. You know how he is sensible, no?".

Leo, Raph and Splinter nodded, looking at Mikey's door...


	2. Chapter 2 - Moment Ago

**Here another chapter. I'm sorry if you guys could have many problems with my English. I'll try to get better. Thank you really.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT.**

**Chapter 2: Moment Ago**

Leonardo, the Fearless leader, was meditating in his room when a sense of worry gripped his Chi. A lots of flashbacks ran in his mind: he could see Raph and Mikey fighting together, the laughs of orange turtle and the anger of the red turtle.

The air tasted of fun but suddenly, a Mikey's yell frozen everything.

The cold fear's shiver ran along Leo's back and the leader opened his brown eyes, panting quickly.

Leonardo swallowed a hard sense of worry and re-closed his eyes. Immediately, his mind showed another background. Leonardo could see himself to train toward just for reinforcing his weak right ankle.

He got that injury two weeks ago, during a patrol on New York's roofs, with his brothers. Unfortunately, in that moment, Leo didn't notice a black arrow running toward him and just when a strong pain capture his ankle, he understood.

An enemy attack!

Before of disappearing, Leonardo saw a black presence hidding itself behind a distant building. He was a Foot Ninja. Shredder was back!

"Leonardo!" the three turtles yelled, approaching themselves to Leonardo.

The leader smiled but the pain exploded in his ankle while picked up the previous arrow dirty of blood.

"We have seen you avoid something..." Donnie pronunced, looking the injury: "Are you ok?".

"We aren't alone" the leader cut quickly, looking the silent roofs.

When light steps approached the roof with the turtles, they understood. The numerous black ninja of the Foot Clan appeared right there.

Many weapons shone under the moon: a fight was imminent!

"They are so many and armed till the teeth!" Raphael growled, smelling the danger: "A fast idea would be awesome!".

"Run away?" Mikey replied, avoiding a Sai near his face: "RUN!".

The turtles started to fight, trying to escape too. All was so hard for the four heroes, so the question was... Who would have won?

Leo blocked two katanas with his swords and looked his brothers. Raphael was fighting with three big Foot, but a little distraction didn't permit at the red turtle of avoiding a fist in his stomach and a kick in the leg.

Raph didn't fall down and with anger got his revenge: jumping on the first Foot, he knocked the other two, winning!

Donatello instead, was kicking many enemies with his Bo: he sneered when a Foot Ninja tried to kick him with a naginata. The genius jumped back and knocked down the adversary with the Bo's knock!

Michelangelo looked getting so much fun in this challenge. There were three ninja armed of kusarigamas. The orange smiled obscurely and showed all his incredible ability with the nunchaku, causing a bit of fear in the big-stupid-adversaries!

Mikey whirled his weapons and the three Foot Ninjas fallen down quickly.

Many enemies had been defeated but there were still so many. The turtles had gotten many injuries and their force was halved.

"Mikey... I think it's time for running away!" Donnie murmured while flung a smoke bomb on the roof.

When the smoke dissapeared, the Foot Ninjas understood that the turtles had played a joke...

In the shadows, the turtles looked the Foot looking for them. The manhole cover was too exposed at the enemy and the brothers didn't know what to do.

"Guys, we can't remain here" Mikey whispered, with worry.

"I know it, genius!" Raph growled, crazy of anger.

"Also if this will look strange..." Donnie continued: "I'm agree with Mikey's idea. Withdrawing could be a good idea".

"I hate lose!" Raph repeated, more angry.

"Have you another idea then?" Donnie protested, gripping the Bo in his hands.

"Sure! We can fightin'! We can't lose!".

Leonardo sighed frustrated and trying to ignore the small quarrel of his brothers, he noticed a brilliant weapon run toward them.

Leonardo known that the mysterious weapon would have injured Raphael and without thinking, he took the weapon for his red turtle.

A white pain exploded in Leo's body: the weapon was a Sai, the same weapon of Raphael. Without screaming, the leader fallen down, while a red river of blood grown on his leg already injured.

"LEO!" Raphael yelled, looking his big bro on the ground: "No! Leo! Please... d... don't... GUYS! We can revenge Leo! NOW! It's doesn't matter how much hard will be!".

Donnie and Mikey nodded and gripped their weapons, but Leonardo emitted a weak moan.

"N... no..." he said weakly: "No... we can't win... P... please, let's return at the lair!".

Raphael tried to ignore the request of his big bro but when Mikey's hand leant on his shoulder, the red sighed.

"Ok, Leo. We return at home".

Smiling weakly, Leonardo left to take himself in brothers' arms, while Raphael flung another smoke bomb...

Once in the lair, Splinter had a tremble when saw Leonardo in an awful aspect. He didn't asked nothing because he known that his sons' mind was confused.

Leo was brought in Donnie's laboratory and medicated quickly, like the rest of the team.

"I'm sorry Master Splinter" Raphael murmured, looking Leonardo sleeping on the bed in the lab: "It's just...".

"There isn't a guilty, Raphael. Shredder is the real enemy and that happen you tonight indicates he's back" the sensei answered.

The red nodded e left the lab, too much tired for remaining on his feet.

"Don, how is Leo ?" Mikey asked, sat on a chair with right arm bandaged.

"The injury is serious. Leo needs to rest for two or three weeks. But this isn't that worries myself".

Mikey looked the genious scared: "Continue".

"I think when Leo will wake up, he will feel bad. He'll think that our injuries will be just his fault" Donnie murmured, caressing Leo's arm.

"For this, it's necessary helping Leonardo so that he doesn't fall in a depressive state" Splinter explained...

In next days, Leonardo felt terrible. He didn't want eating, no training, no leadership. Like Donnie had said, the leader continued to travel at that night, observing the bandage too.

Splinter was always with him, for helping to exit from the depression. But in spite of the sensei had prohibited Leo to train, he didn't hear.

When the ankle's pain calmed a bit, the leader return to train himself hardly.

"I won't fail again!" Leo said every day...

_**Present...**_

Leo re-opened his eyes, looking the shadows in his room. Probably, he had meditated for many hours. The candle's blaze was off.

Leonardo sighed and stood up, ignoring the pain's ankle. He walked out from his room, approaching at the dojo.

A good smell of good food flown in the air: there was someone else in the kitchen and Leo smiled. He imagined Splinter or Mikey at the cookers.

The little bro was cooking and the leader didn't want disturb him.

**I think I'll use again my crutches. The ankle hurts again.**

Leonardo nodded at his thought and entered in the dojo.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Hi, guys! I'm back with another chapter! Still again, I'm sorry if my English will sound strange, but there're so many things I must still understand. Please, continue to read and leave comment, critique too. I'm important for me understand where I make mistakes. Thank you... and now..._**

**Chapter 3: Bones and Chords**

Leonardo walked in the corridor with his crutches. He hated so much being injured and his ankle needed of an adequate support.

For each his step, Leonardo could see Splinters brown eyes full of pain. The sensei, in fact, didn't want see the leader forced his weak leg in strong and useless workouts. And Leo couldn't support those silent eyes because strong guilt captured his Chi.

**I'm stupid and useless! If I had used the crutches now I'd be a strong leader again!**

Growling for this thought, the blue turtle ran with the mind on Shredders return. The Foot Ninjas' attack hadn't been a good sign.

"Ehi, Leo!".

The blue opened wide his eyes, noticing Raphael in front of him.

"How are you?" the red continued, smiling.

The master of the katanas nodded with a timid smile and showed the crutches. Raph understood that silent reply and returned to look his brother. They both waited for the first word for breaking that embarrassing silence.

"What feels Michelangelo?" the blue asked, after a long hesitation.

Raph sighed for a second but replied: "Well... we'll have a bit of sweet silent!".

Leonardo lifted up an eyelid without saying nothing. Raph's expression was really strange. He looked ready for crying also if this he wouldn't never have done.

Raphael stopped his laugh and sighed heavily, showing all his tension. Leo didn't think twice and put his hand on the bro's shoulder.

"Here... Mikey looks so much sad for having lose the voice... however he's preparing the dinner" Raph admitted after a sweet smile.

The leader gave him a soft silent hug and Raph trembled visibly. The red didn't spin off Leo back... in this moment he wanted really a hug, especially from his big bro.

The same brother he hated sometimes.

In this hug, the time looked stop. Raph felt calm and relaxed. All his anger was disappeared and his mind was free from the demons.

Leonardo rubbed the hand on the bro's shell until when from his leg a cramp exploded.

"Leo, what's going on?" Raph asked, when Leo did a step back.

"Don't worry... it's just a cramp".

The red observed Leo's wound and noticed a swelling under the bandage. It looked painful.

"Ok, Fearless. Do you remember when we were children and played at Follow the Leader?" Raphael asked, kneeling in front of Leo.

"Yes... why?".

Raph moved playfully his head and pointed the shell against Leonardo.

"C'mon, bro. Gettin' on my shell".

The blue knocked his eyelids, confused. Why is Raph doing the shell to Leo? Why so much kindness? Helping... Leonardo? Maybe it was for the bandage on the leg. Raph could be a real cute brother when he wanted.

"Raph... don't worry. I can walk with the crutches!" Leo tried to retort.

Raph struck Leo with a bad look and the leader laughed nervously.

"Don't sayin' bullshit! We both say you aren't good! Your wound is gets worse!".

Swallowing at this "explosion" of anger, Leonardo nodded without other choice and got on Raph's shell. The red smiled obscurely immediately.

In the dojo, Donatello was working on a invention, sipping a cup of black coffee. Splinter sensei was watching various news while Mikey was cooking.

Raph with Leo on his shoulder were on the ground of the superior plan. No staircases, no other way to go down. Just an agile jump for reaching the normal plan.

"Are ya ready, Leo?" Raph sneered, focusing on Don in down: "EHI, DONNIE!".

Leonardo closed his eyes, a bit stunned from that scream. Raph had really a stadium voice!

In down, Donnie jumped from his work while the cup fallen down, in a black, hot puddle. Growling, the purple lifted up the eyes at the superior plan.

"What the shell, Raph? I was working, if you wanna know!".

Raph laughed and jumped with an exaggerate leap. Leonardo almost jumped out from his shell but tried to keep the cold blood. In that moment, the red launched Leo's crutches to Donnie.

"Raph, you're crazy!" Leo panted, a bit scared from that fly.

Returned with the feet on the ground, Raph ignored the comment and put Leo on the sofa. Donnie leaned the crutches next to the sofa and started to check Leo's bandage.

"I go to see Mikey. Is he in the kitchen?" Raph asked.

Donnie nodded and return to take off the old bandage. He didn't say a word in seeing a warm swelling.

"Donnie, let's go in the kitchen, please. I wanna see Mikey" Leo proposed.

"Ok. Sensei, do you come with us?" Donnie nodded and asked to sensei.

The rat smiled in a silent "yes" and put out the TV.

Michelangelo had an empty look. He was cooking mechanically, without pay attention. He was cut an onion, while the tomatoes cooked in a pot.

Cooking was a thing that he loved.

"How are you?" Leonardo asked, when he entered in the kitchen.

Mikey trembled a bit, for the improvise voice, ma smiled nervously, nodded at Leo's question. In truth, he felt very sad.

"Are ya sure?" Raph added, not much convinced.

Mikey showed the thumb in a yes and forced himself for not speaking. He couldn't had do it.

Donatello noticed the tears blocked in Mikey's eyes and put his hand on little bro's shoulder.

The genius hated seeing Mikey crying.

"Don't worry. When you'll get back your voice you'll can remember to Raph who is the Battle Nexus Champion!" Donnie laughed, looking a growling Raphael.

Mikey nodded happily and indicated the table already ready. The dinner was finally ready!

While the Hamato sat at the table, Mikey took a spoon for tasting a bit of tomato sauce. But this wasn't a good idea.

When the liquid food fallen down in his throat, that white pain exploded in Mikey. The orange left falling down the spoon on the ground, just for gripping the throat.

"MICHELANGELO!" the Hamato yelled, jumped on their feet.

The young cook was on the kneel, trying to calm down the terrible blaze in the throat.

Donnie was the first to run in this help, leaving sit Mikey on a chair.

"Mikey, what is wrong?" the purple asked: "Have you swallow up something that is stopping your breath?".

Mikey indicated his throat and the genius understood. He sighed sadly and without saying nothing, he ran in the lab.

"I'm sorry..." Raph murmured with low voice: **It's just my fault! Because I'm the worse brother of evah!**

"Here I am" Donnie pronounced, returned with some things in his hand: "Mikey, I really would have wanted you wouldn't have had take this... but it's evident you can't eat anymore like us".

"So what?" Raph growled, with an arm around Leo's side for helping to rest on his feet.

Donatello sighed and hugged Mikey: "I'm sorry, little one. Your throat is too much damage for eating or drinking or better, breathing normally. So... you'll use a needle in your arm for giving nutritious at your body".

Mikey opened wide the blue eyes, scared. He had always hated the needles and now... he was forced to use one.

Donatello started to put the needle in Mikey's right arm, noticing the heavy tears in that tired look.

Raphael had lose his self control and now the tears were rolling down toward his cheeks. Mikey was so for his fault! Denying softly, the red left quickly the kitchen, ready for running in the night without end.

"RAPH!" Leo asked useless.

"Leave he go, Leonardo" Splinter stopped softly, after a long silence: "Your brother needs to remain alone, for leave out the tension".

"F... fine..." the blue murmured.

"Leo" Donnie called with anger in his eyes: "Can I check another time your ankle, please?".

The leader nodded a bit and together the purple, they both left Splinter trying to comfort Michelangelo...


	4. Chapter 4

**_Disclaimer:_ I Don't Own TMNT!**

**Another chapter. Still once, I'm sorry for the mistakes. Thank you.**

**Chapter 4: Memories**

Donatello had just ended to bandage the painful Leonardo's ankle, sat on the sofa. The leader looked lost in his memories... He felt sad also if one part of his heart was happy for having taken the wound and not Raph.

Probably, the cause were the crutches. Leo hated them because he felt weak and useless. But without them, the leader couldn't go in many places. The pain was still strong for being ignored.

Then, there was Michelangelo's question. Leonardo knew that the damaged vocal chords of little bro weren't his fault. Only for a strong scream!

"Leo?" the genius called, sitting near him.

The blue looked his brother: why Donnie was hesitating?

"Leo, you're so dark and I don't blame you. If you are thinking that Mikey's problem is your fault, well... you shouldn't!".

Leonardo opened wide his eyes, surprised. Still once, Donnie had showed his incredible capacity to understand each problem. A little smile grew on his mouth.

The purple turtle was right. There wasn't faults.

Leo studied the new bandage on his leg: still once, Donnie had done a good job! The pain burned less also in the bones and this created just relief.

"Leonardo, Donatello" Splinter's voice sounded from the kitchen: "It's dinner time".

The blue and the purple nodded, also if their stomachs were closed. They couldn't eat after Mikey's problem. But... the dinner had been prepared by their little bro and not eat it wouldn't have been nice.

"Oh, Mikey..." Leo whispered, limped in the kitchen.

Raph wasn't returned yet.

When the two brothers sat on the chairs, Leo started to think at his little bro. With that problem, Mikey will face a hard month. Poor little bro.

Donnie hid the face in his hands when the tears started to fall down. The situation was too hard.

The genius stood up and walked toward the laboratory for taking Mikey's dinner. A needle, some little sacks for the nourishment and a tube. The purple fixed with pain his hand loaded with the necessary.

"I'm so sorry, Little One" he murmured, starting to cry: "There isn't no other choice for giving to you the food. Without this, you could die!".

In a mad moment, Donnie hit one of his locker for unloading the tension and the anger.

"Now I understand what Raph feels when he hits something" he said, wiping the tears.

**I'll always protect my family, no matter what. I'd die for them!**

After that thought, Donnie walked out from the lab, returning in the kitchen.

**Where will Raph be?**

The red turtle was running away with his motorbike between Big Apples roads. The tears ran fast on his cheeks, impossible to stop. Two hundred kilometers at the hour showed a confuse whirl of colors, wonderfully.

For Raph all this hadn't importance. Neither the full moon obscured by big dark clouds. A thunderstorm was coming.

Surpassing a last curve, Raphie stopped the shell cycle. Remaining with the headlights lighted, the red turtle had an anger moment. He took his red helmet and flung it against a wall.

**It's happened for my fault... Mikey got the injured because I'm the worst of the world... Mikey, I'm sorry...**

With the mind full of thought, Raph listened his shell cell sounding. Curious, he took it and read the number on the display.

"Donatello?" he asked at himself: "I'd want to not answer, in this moment... but I really wouldn't want something wrong for Mikey".

"Hello".

From the other part of that called, Donnie sighed relieved: "Raph, where are you?".

"My business" Raph replied, spiting on the ground: "Mikey and Leo? Are they ok?".

Donnie sighed again and remained in silence for some second. Then, he pressed the bottom of the speakerphone, leaving that Mikey could have listen too.

"Mikey needs you, Raphael... He's depressed and just you can lift the moral" Donnie explained: "Leo is lost in his sadness. As you see, they aren't good. Raph, please, come back home".

Raph swallowed, having understood the secret words hidden in that phrases. In that moment, a memory returned in his mind...

_It was the fifth birthday for Raphie and the red child was so happy. Each member in Hamato family had prepared something of special for the little hothead. All except three-old-Mikey._

_The orange turtle wasn't find nothing to giving to Raphie and for this, he hid._

_Splinter, in the evening, returned to home with a small chocolate cake big enough for feeding his sons. Raph jumped happy when the birthday's song was sung and the presents were given._

_Mikey showed just sadness and Raph hit him._

_The orange ran in his room, crying and waiting for the night. He wanted to go in the sewers for finding something of special for the hothead._

_And so, he did. Mikey ignored the first rule "Never leaving home" and ran in the sewers, starting the search. Luckily, the child noticed a small red object floating in the cold water. Mikey approached and understood: that object was a wood little boat with a red sail!_

_Happily, he jumped in the water and started to swim for get that play. But the current was too strong for the child and quickly, Mikey plunged underwater._

_At lair, Splinter felt something wrong with one of his sons and just when he controlled the rooms of his child, the fear gripped his heart. Mikey was gone!_

_Starting to look for Mikey, the Hamatos found the small turtle floating on the water. Splinter picked up the child and they together returned to home._

_Mikey got the flu and Raphie was really scared but when the little bro found the force for wake up, he gave the little boat to Raphie, wishing him a happy birthday..._

"It will better if I return to home" Raph smiled, roaring in the night...


	5. Chapter 5

**_DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN TMNT!_**

**Chapter 5: In Travel for the Battle Nexus**

Raphael parked the motorbike in the old abandoned garage and remained to fix his helmet for a long time. His hands were wet.

The rain fell down on the urban landscape, causing a constant noise.

His red helmet had a crack; Raph sighed heavily, upping the head toward the ceiling. There was silence, interrupted just from the rain.

Raphael felt very sad: he was the guilty of Mikey's damage. He couldn't stop the scream in his mind. Those blue eyes so painful. That visible sadness on that face.

What had he done?

The red turtle put his helmet on the motorbike's saddle and walked until when his feet were on the lift. The tears menaced to fall down: but he was the muscle of the family and never he would have cried...

Two doors of the lift opened and Raph closed a bit his eyes, not accustomed at the brilliant lights of the room. The lair's air was heavy of tension: the anger and the disappointment were present.

Then, he noticed someone.

Mikey was leaned near a wall, with a sad air and the arms folded up. He was so sad. His dark energy was so strong...

Raphael looked a long his little bro, waiting for receiving a fist for his stupid action but, quickly he froze.

Knocking more times his eyes, the red turtle understood to be hugged from his little brother.

Those blue eyes were happy, now and also if he couldn't speak, Raphael felt, in his mind, just a phrase.

"I missed you".

Smiling, the red gave back a hug, gripping strong Mikey at the chest. However, that happiness in those eyes disappeared when two tears fell down.

"Mikey..." Raph murmured confused.

His hand was taken in that of Mikey, leaving to lead in the kitchen...

The table showed still some dishes with food. Leo, Don and Splinter were sat, waiting for Raph for having dinner.

They had waited for him.

"Have you had fun, in topside?" Leonardo asked, calm.

Raph raised an eyebrow, confused. Why nobody had reproached him? They were so glad and normal. Something was wrong but he confined those thoughts in the most faraway part of his mind and sat himself.

Taste spaghetti with tomato were in the dish. Raph licked the lips, with hungry.

"Well... we have dinner at midnight. Funny, isn't?" Donnie giggled: "I'm hungry!".

Raph notice Mikey's dish was empty. Approaching with the head, his heart froze. His little bro had a needle in the arm, connected at a nutritious's bag.

Noticing this, the orange turtle gave to him a tender caress on his shoulder, hoping to comfort him. Raph couldn't savor the excellent taste of the dinner: the little bro was suffering.

Splinter ate the spaghetti, with his wood sticks.

Michelangelo had continued to cook also after Raphael was ran away. The dinner on the table was a demonstration of love.

"This is an excellent dinner, my son" the sensei murmured, with sweetness.

Leonardo, Donatello e Raphael nodded smiling but when Mikey had the cough again, the entire attention fell on him.

Mikey couldn't breathe and from his eyes, the tears rolled down on the cheeks. The orange turtle was gripped in the fear's vise and he tore the needle from the arm, ignoring the blood and other liquids.

Not permitting at his family of speaking, the younger ran in his room, closing the door and throwing himself on the bed. Starting to cry, his eyes closed immediately.

"I..." Donnie murmured afflicted: "I'm going to check him...".

Raphael lowered the head and looked the kitchen. Mikey had cooked for them but he had been forced to use a stupid needle.

"Mikey needs of comfort" Leonardo explained, ignoring the pain in the ankle.

"I think that the damage is more serious than we can believe" the sensei completed.

Suddenly, a Donnie's yell broke the tension in the air.

The three mutants ran immediately in Mikey's room and froze when an azure light shone on everything.

"A... portal?" Leonardo murmured, upset.

He was on Raph's shell because the crutches were been left in living room.

"Calm down, my sons. There isn't nothing to fear" the sensei ordered serious: "There are friends".

The four brother, perplexed, observed the portal, putting away their weapons.

From a blue beam five figures exited. The Hamato remained surprised when the portal closed and the flash too.

The Daymio, his young son and their assistant. Usagi and Gennosuke.

Forgetting the initial fear, Mikey was the first to show his happiness. After all, one year was passed from the last Mikey's battle on Nexus. The Champion had defeated Kluh, the son of Amag, leader of Evran's tribe.

"Your presence honours us, Daymio- Splinter smiled.

"Thank you, Splinter-san".

"Usagi-san! I'm so glad to see you again!" Leonardo said: "Why are you here, if I can ask?".

The samurai rabbit noticed the bandaged ankle but tried to not lose the smile.

"How have you got that wound at your ankle, Leonardo-san?" he asked equally.

"It's a long story" the leader replied, a bit embarrassed of all the attention on him.

When a timid silence filled up the room, the Daymio thought good to explain the real reason of their arrive.

"There's a new fight on our world. Amag and his son Kluh are escape from my exile, without I could do something for preventing it. He wants a revenge against the Champion Michelangelo".

Mikey jumped a bit for that information: he didn't want to fight with Kluh again. He had offended his family in that rematch! Not Kluh, that stupid struggler!

He opened the mouth for protesting but lowered the angry look and started to breath faster. He was so angry! Mikey would have wanted to shout that he didn't want to do it but he knew Splinter was felt disappointed.

"Why don't you say anything, Champion?" the boy of Daymio asked, caressing Leo's hand: "Aren't you glad to honor your family?".

Mikey upped the look and swallowing, nodded. Smiled.

He would have fought for himself, for Splinter and his family.

For the friends.

For the Battle Nexus.

"Very well, let's go. There will many battles to face!" the Daymio said, proud of Mikey.

The old man reopened the portal with his scepter and all together entered in that brilliant light, leaving the lair.

**I haven't choices...**

Mikey sighed at that thought and closed the blue eyes, leaving that his body run in that colored tunnel...


End file.
